The Mermaid
by Lily6005
Summary: Katja, is not a normal girl. Not even sixteen and is an ambassador for her kingdom under the water. She's a mermaid,and second in line for the throne.After she was taken by Death Eaters she was branded by them to be possessed by one man.A man she hates,and who hates her in return. Will she be the best spy for the team along side the husband she was forced to accept? M SS/OC
1. Chapter 1

I decided a long time ago that no one could tame me. It was simple really, I was a princess, a mermaid princess, even if I was one half mermaid. I inherited my mother's title when she died. It was an honor really, if it wasn't for the fact that my mother, the only person that could understand what I was going through, was dead.

She was killed by the same people that made me move from my beautiful, warm home in Florida where I learned magic on a nearby island by the American magic school that I swam to daily so I could still live with my mother. There, mermaids were beautiful, like in the Little Mermaid. More human, and they had pretty voices above and below the water. Here, in Scotland, the mermaids were ugly, and there was no doubt in my mind that they had never lured a sailor to their death, or had stolen a human's heart.

I found that the second was far more fun to do. I could make any man fall in love with me, or at least manipulate them to do my bidding easily, though if I really cared for anyone I couldn't bare to use them. And I Hogwarts I loved many people. I was beautiful, smart, and powerful. I was a force to be reckoned with, and everyone who had dealt with me learned not to get on my bad side. If I didn't stand up for myself, one of my friends would. And mind that two of my best friends were beaters on the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

I was a Gryffindor, same year as the famous Harry Potter, brightest girl in the world, Hermione Granger, and the ever-hungry Ron Weasley. I was actually older than all of them. I was born in late August, so they put me in fourth year instead of fifth when I came here.

The year just ended, and one of the students was killed by Voldemort. How did I know? I was kidnapped by Barty Crouch Jr. when I was getting out of the lake before the third task and was taken to him. I had writing on my back, though no one ever told me what it said, after a long time of looking into a mirror I had figured out what it said, though I still didn't know what it meant.

Dumbledore called me to his office on the last day, I wasn't even able to say goodbye to my friends before I was pushed into the noble and most ancient house of Black. Sirius' place.

I met him last winter when Harry and Hermione went to see him in Hogsmeade. He was nice enough, and when they said I would be spending the summer with him, I was genuinely happy that I wouldn't have to find a hotel to lay low at, or worse, stay here for the summer.

Snape had to take me. We bumped heads quite a bit, actually. Sometimes I think he hated me more than he hated Harry. He didn't really speak to me when he went through first. Not even a gentleman. If he was it was only polite to let me go first, let alone that I am royalty when he is nothing. Yes, I hated him too.

"Sirius!" I grinned when I came in with my trunk.

"Hey, Blondie." He grinned back, using the nickname he came up with when he wouldn't say my name right. "Come to stay for the summer with little old me?"

"Who else would I want to spend it with, but a man I met once?" I replied.

"Do you have the rules, Black?" Snape asked, frowning.

"Yeah, I can't shag her." He nodded. "She's fifteen, that's sick, Snape. She's as old as my godson. Plus it's illegal."

I even gave Snape a weird look. "I'm not that easy, Snape! Not that it's any of your business."

"Well you are already a fugitive." Snape told him. Even though Sirius and I weren't close, I even felt the sting.

"Can you at least be civil?" I found myself saying. "You have to title here, you are not my professor, and this is not your house."

"And you have a title here?" Snape replied.

"I am a Princess to one of the most powerful species in the world." I replied, standing up straighter. "I am here, as well as everywhere else, a princess."

"Should I bow then?" Snape sneered.

"If you were smarter, you would." I said, looking around. "But for now you may go."

"I am not done stating the rules." He replied boredly.

"Then state them." I told him, crossing my arms and standing my ground.

He turned back to Sirius, like I was no more than a dog. "She is not allowed out without a chaperone over seventeen. She will have to use one of the bath tubs for the new moon, or you can transfigure a kiddie pool or something if you have the talent..."

I looked around, and spotted a class of water on the dining table. With a small flick of my wrist it was in the air, and a nod of my head to the side, it splashed down Snape's front.

Sirius coughed, and I looked away from them, knowing if I saw either of them I would smile.

"I know that was you, Verhagan, don't even try to act innocent." Snape told me. "Just because you can splash someone doesn't mean you should be allowed out on your own."

"Is that concern in your voice, Severus?" I said, using his given name.

"Is that sass in yours?" He replied.

"Yes, how did you know?" I asked sarcastically, my eyes getting big, and surprise entering my face.

"Are those all the rules?" Sirius asked, looking like he was sincerely trying not to laugh.

"Yes." Snape said, looking away from me. "Goodbye." With that he stepped back through the fireplace, flooing back to Hogwarts.

Sirius turned to me. "Well now I know why you were in detention most of last year, Miss Sass."

I smiled. "Don't tell me you don't love it."

"I do, but you're going to get detention when you get back." He told me.

"I'm used to it." I shrugged.

"So I've heard." He nodded. "Come on, I'll show you to your room." He waved his wand, and levitated my trunk up the stairs to the second floor, where there was a small bedroom, a queen-sized bed in the center of the room, a dresser across from it, and a window hidden by dark blue curtains. It was plain, but nice enough for the summer. Better than anywhere else I would be, probably.

"Thank you." I told him. "For having me here for the next two months."

"You're welcome, it's nice to have other people around here since Moony's out most of the time." He told me. "I'll let you unpack. The Weasley's should be here tomorrow."

"Really?" My face lit up. "I love them."

"I'm sure," Sirius smiled. "Just come down when you want, there's food in the kitchen, and books in the library. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you." I told him sincerely before he left.

Then I was alone, unpacking my things. I put the picture of my mother and I on the nightstand. I didn't know who my father was, but I know that he left us before I was born. Deadbeat dad. I wasn't too upset about it. I had mom, and that was all I needed growing up. My father figure was my mother's little brother, Uncle Matt, who was only fifteen years older than me, but he was prince of Magia, where I was princess. It hurt a lot when I had to leave him, he was my only family left. I still sent him messages when I could.

Uncle Matt taught me how to be a princess. How to speak, how to move, and how to act. He was my mentor, and one of my best friends. He understood what I was going though with the double life. No one back home knew about my half-human status, not even after my mother was dead.

I was alone here, but I found that I could trust some people, at least a little bit. Fred and George were my closest friends here. Hermione and Ginny were my girl friends, but I also had Harry and Ron, though we never talked about anything having to do with my past, so overall they thought me normal, even though I was the one that had to watch and report about the second task of the tournament. I was scared one of them had seen me with my blue tail that matched my eyes.

Tonight was the new moon, so by midnight I would need to be covered up to my waist at least for my tail not to be painful to have. Oh yes, it was glamorous to be a mermaid. The pain would nearly be the death of me. It almost was when I turned thirteen. I could've died easily, but it was the blood connection with my mother that kept me alive. She kept me alive.

I would be sleeping all day tomorrow, it was normal with me to do that. I usually had to turn in my homework the day before, or the afternoon/evening after the class if the teacher didn't mind. Only Snape ever did.

After I put my things in the dresser, my diary under the pillow, and my jewelry on the dressers, I walked downstairs.

I recognized Remus Lupin from the pictures I saw of him. Sandy brown hair and green eyes, scars on him from his transformations once a month. Even if I didn't know he was a werewolf, I could smell it on him. One of the good things about being a mermaid, my sense of smell of other creatures was impeccable.

I met him with a smile, and a hello. He seemed nice enough, and he had kind eyes. Eyes never lie. He brought with him take out pizza. I took my food, before explaining what would happen over the next few hours.

"I'm going to change tonight." I told them. "I'll be fine, and if you want, you can come in after eight a.m. but please don't wake me up. I'm going to be tired after it. It's a lot like being a werewolf, but less pain. I'll be dead to the world from dawn until my body is ready to wake up."

They nodded.

"Is there anything you need?" Sirius asked.

I shook my head. "I would prefer a pool, or lake, but since that had been cut out by Snape, I'll deal with the bathtub." I sighed, and looked at the grandfather clock to my right. "I have two hours, I'm going to try to get some sleep. If I'm not here when the Weasley's arrive, Fred and George know what's going on, just tell them I had a rough night, and they'll get it. It's what I used to tell them during school."

Sirius nodded.

I turned to Remus and smiled. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too."

"I'm not saying what I go through is on your caliber, but it's hard without a decent amount of water." I told him.

"Me?" Remus asked.

"I can smell that you're a werewolf." I told him, confused. "Don't tell me that you can't tell I'm a mermaid."

He nodded. "I can. You smell like the ocean." He smiled a bit.

"And you smell like the woods." I grinned. "Come on, us half-breeds gotta stick together, otherwise the Ministry will tag all of us."

"Haven't they already tried with your people?" Remus asked.

I nodded. "I helped put a stop to it. I'm a known half breed, but they can't sell me out because I'm a princess back home, and that could mean war if they put me under fire. I'm loved in Magia, and my uncle loves me. He's in charge of the royal guard, and armies." I explained.

"And what are you in charge of?" Sirius asked.

"Foreign contacts." I told him. "At least since I moved to the UK." I stood up. "Goodnight, see you guys tomorrow afternoon."

"Goodnight." They chorused.

I turned around, and went to the stairs. I had to stay pretty quiet otherwise the portrait of Sirius' mother would wake up. Or so they told me over dinner, I believed them, it would be a pretty stupid thing to lie about if they were.

I had to get changed, which meant being naked from the waist down, and putting on my metal mermaid made top. Mermaid made things were in the same category as goblin made, both would never break, and the armor could deflect spells and curses that hit it. If I ever was in a battle, I'd be wearing one of my chain mail or metal tops just so the chance of my survival would go up.

I filled the bathtub up with warm water, and set up an enchanted CD player on the sink to help me from being bored to tears.

The water didn't have to be warm, but it would be more comfortable for even my mermaid self. I was a warm water mermaid from the Caribbean, so even though I could handle the cold, or the heat better than humans, I would still prefer the heat over the cold. Sadly, I was in England, and I couldn't get what I wanted during the winter, unless the lake was frozen over, then Dumbledore would move me to the prefect's bath.

When I felt the first tingle of the change, I got in the warm water, and tied my hair in a knot on the top of my head. Time to change.

**a/n So...I ****should be working on The Sheriff's Daughter, but during brainstorming I came up with a Harry Potter story. Hope you enjoy!**

**Lily**


	2. Chapter 2

I brushed my teeth, and put on a tank top and knickers before falling into bed. I honestly think I was asleep before I even touched the mattress. My body ached, and my head pounded, but the body aches would go away in a few hours, and the headache would disappear after much needed sleep.

I woke up around noon, and chugged the water I had in my water bottle that I brought up with me the night before, before rolling back over and letting myself drift in and out of sleep for a few hours. The surprising thing was, that even when I get up later today, I would still be in bed by midnight tonight.

It wasn't until I felt someone come into my bed, and wrap their arms around me that I knew the Weasley's had arrived.

I hummed, and turned around to face him, one thing that I loved about being a mermaid, no morning breath.

"Bad night?" George asked, looking at me with his chocolate brown eyes.

I shook my head. "Not to bad for being trapped in a bathtub for over six hours."

"I wish I was here, I could've kept you company." He told me.

I smiled. "I'll remember that next new moon."

His hand brushed the tangled gold hair away from my face, leaving his hand on my neck, his thumb brushed over my jaw line before he kissed me.

Before I get too far with this, we are just friends, we aren't dating, and he isn't my boyfriend, even if we did go to the Yule Ball together last winter. We just make out-or "Snog" as Fred called it when he caught us-and have some fun. I don't date. It always ends badly for me in the end of relationships, so I stuck with friendships.

"I missed you." He told me as he pulled away.

"We saw each other at breakfast." I told him.

"But we usually see each other all the time."

"You're going to miss me a lot more after this year." I teased. "You graduate at the end of it."

"Yeah, well, I'll be sure to kidnap you on weekends." He replied.

"Hermione would freak out that I'm not in my bed." I giggled. "I missed you too."

"Did you now?"

"Oh yes, the jokes, the ginger hair..." I rolled my eyes. "How long have you been here?"

"An hour." He told me.

"Your parents?"

"Mum's here, Dad's at work." He told me.

"Does she know you're up here with me?" I asked.

He nodded. "I said I was going to wake you up."

"If she comes up here I don't really want to meet your mother without pants or a bra on." I told him.

"You're not wearing any pants?" He looked under the sheet. "Ooh, black lace, nice." He teased. "As for the bra, I think you look great without one."

I rolled my eyes again. "You think I look good in the least amount of clothing."

"Exactly."

"Shut up."

"Make me."

I kissed him again, grabbing his strong shoulders, and pulling him close so there was no space between us. Believe it or not, this actually worked pretty well for us, or most of the time it did.

I pulled away. "And since you so nicely woke me up, I am awake, and would like to go meet your mother."

"Put pants on then." He told me.

I went in my drawer, and found some faded jeans, before taking off my tank top, with my back towards George, and put on a bra, before putting back on my tank top.

"Why do you even wear bras? Your tits are huge without them."

"You try running up the stairs with grapefruits on your chest." I told him. "Hurts like hell. It hurts to work out too, that's why I'm a swimmer."

"Nothing to do with the tail then?" He replied.

I laughed. "I loved swimming before I got my tail."

"Next Quidditch party, you better wear one of your mermaid tops." He told me. "The gold one's my favorite."

I turned over my shoulder and smiled at him. "If you win, I'll do whatever you want."

"Ooh, we have to win now." He said, jumping off the bed. "Come on, let's go meet mummy."

I tied my hair up in a sleek high ponytail, that showed my makeup-less face. Mothers liked when I didn't have makeup on, I still have no idea why. I hope Ginny shared some of the nicer things I've done with her, and maybe not the ones with me sassing Snape. Parents don't like when their kids friends are troublemakers. Huh. I wonder why she loved Harry then.

We walked down stairs, and I told him about Snape telling Sirius the rules that came with me.

In the dining room, Mrs. Weasley was talking to Sirius. She was about my hight, so we stood eye-to-eye, which was always nice since I was usually the shortest wherever I went.

"Katja Verhagan?" She asked.

I smiled and nodded, extending my hand. "Hello, Mrs. Weasley."

"I've heard so many stories." She told me, taking my hand in her warm one. "It's nice to finally have a face to the person." She released my hand.

"I hope they're good stories." I replied.

"Oh, they are." She promised. "You did Ginny's hair for the ball."

"Her hair's so pretty, I couldn't miss the chance." I said honestly. "I've wanted to have ginger hair my whole life."

"I told you, I wasn't lying." George added. "Americans, they like gingers."

I looked to my right, where George was standing. "It's true." I turned back to Mrs. Weasley. "We love red hair."

"And how are you feeling from last night?" She asked, looking honestly concerned.

"You know?" I asked, a bit confused as I looked at George.

"I told her." Sirius said, raising his hand. "Dumbledore told me to."

"It's fine." I turned back to Mrs. Weasley. "A little tired, but I'm fine."

"That's good to hear." She smiled. "There's an order meeting tonight, so we'll be eating late."

"Cool, can I come?" George asked.

Mrs. Weasley sent her son a look. "No, your father and I don't want you to."

"What about me?" I asked. "I kinda have a few questions."

"No, you can't." Sirius told me.

"Come on, I don't have any parents to make this choice for me." I told him. "Why can't I?"

"No one still in school." Sirius told me.

I pouted. "Fine." I looked at George, letting him know I wasn't okay with this decision they made for us. He was seventeen, and I was already an ambassador for my kingdom, what else could either of us need to know what's going on? We wanted to fight, and why they weren't tapping into my powers, I had no idea. They would be smart if they would.

Too bad they weren't.

George and I were in my room again. Kissing, again. We were bored, Fred was asleep, Ginny was reading, and Ron was being annoying. There was nothing really else to do. The Order of the Phoenix meeting was going on in the kitchen, and it was nearly eight at night. I had been awake for seven hours now.

Right now, George was on top of me, and we probably weren't in the best position for someone to walk in on us. It's really Sirius' fault. He's the one that didn't knock.

"Well hello." He grinned as George and I separated.

"Knock much?" I replied, annoyed.

"Hey, just be happy it's me and not someone else." He told me. "I've been sent to get your highness." He mock-bowed to me.

I rolled my eyes, as I stood. "Why do you need me?"

"The scars on your back actually, we've been talking about them." Sirius said.

"Oh, talking about me behind my back, how nice." I said sarcastically.

"Half Blood Princess." George said, from memory. "What's the deal about them?"

"I'll tell you when I find out." I told him. "I have a feeling Siri-kins isn't going to tell either of us."

Sirius shook his head. "Nope."

"Come on, let's go then." I said.

"You need to brush your hair." Sirius told me.

I looked in the mirror, it was a bit messed up, but it had looked worse. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's messed up, just do it." Sirius told me.

I pursed my lips, and walked to the bathroom to get my hair brush, and brush it before coming back out. "Better?"

"Much," Sirius told me, standing against the doorway and letting me pass him, and closing the door behind us. "So you and George..."

"Shut it, it's not what you think." I said, raising a hand to silence him.

"Georgie and Katja sitting in a tree-" He sang, gleefully.

"Be quiet."

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G-"

"I'm serious." I said, he was really getting on my nerves now.

"What? Just a bit of fun." He replied, cheerily.

"Yeah, yeah. Just don't mention it to anyone? I don't want them to think we're dating."

"Aren't you?"

I shook my head. "No, dating never ends well with me. I've tried. Make out buddies, however..."

"Are perfect for you." He shook his head. "Poor guy, he's probably on your hook."

"Don't act innocent Sirius Black, I bet you kept a few girls on yours." I replied. "He's also not on my hook, we're just friends."

"Keep telling yourself that, love." He whispered before opening the door to the meeting. "Katja Serena Verhagan, everyone." He introduced me.

I rolled my eyes, as did many of the others in the room. I didn't know who most of them were. I knew the professors from Hogwarts, of course. McGonagall, Snape. Hagrid wasn't here, I had a feeling he should be. He's a sweetheart, and I got to know him when he taught us about mermaids. When he found out about me, I was fascinating. Not many people thought I was fascinating.

"So, is this where you tell me what the Half Blood princess means?" I asked. "I'm sure it doesn't mean half-breed, otherwise that would have been on my back."

There was a pause after my question, everyone sneaking glances to Dumbledore, before looking either back at me or to the floor. It was rather annoying, since no one would speak.

"I'm a big girl, I can take it." I told them. "Lay it on me."

"Half Blood princess is the female counterpart of one man who used to sign things as the Half Blood Prince." Dumbledore explained. "Another way to say it, is you are the bride Voldemort has chosen for him."

I opened my mouth and closed it, swallowing it before speaking. "Do you realize how insane this sounds, sir?"

"Oh yes, I do." He nodded sadly. "It sounded insane to me when I first heard it as well. A fifteen year old girl already married, I haven't heard that since I was a child, and even then it was rare."

I took a deep breath. "I'm not going to marry any death eater I am thrown at. I don't care what the consequences are." I say this emotionlessly, like my uncle taught me to speak in parliament. Make my point and hear what they have to say, don't let them know this effects you, otherwise they have pull over you. Now, I wasn't dealing with mermen here, but I figured my odds would significantly go down if I started yelling.

"Even if they are death?" Sirius asked.

"I believe that they will not be." I replied. "I go back to the Caribbean. My uncle would be glad to have me back, he was nervous about having me come here anyway."

"Are you so keen on giving up your legs?" Dumbledore asked softly.

"If it means my overall freedom, then yes." I said. "I will not marry anyone whom I do not love, which I can happily say, I do not love any Death Eaters."

"You are a fool if you think this only effects you, Verhagan." Snape said harshly from across the room.

"Snape, you cannot guilt her with this." Sirius defended. "You are the one she would have to marry."

"Sirius!" Mrs. Weasley chastised.

"Hermione owes me a knut." I muttered. "I knew someone that much of an asshole couldn't be good."

"Katja!" It was my turn to be chastised by Mrs. Weasley, but for the first time, I didn't care if I said something out of turn. I didn't care if she disagreed how I handled myself. I just wanted to get my voice out there. Most of the Order of the Phoenix didn't say a word though, so I guess many of them thought the same.

"This is not only illegal, but he's over twice my age, and-" I looked straight at Snape as I said the next part. "-I am Princess Katja Lillian of Magia, I am not told what to do with something like this. I make my own decisions. Don't you dare think for one second that I will give him my title for a bit of protection. I can protect myself, and I don't need some overgrown bat to do it for me."

"Are you going to be able to protect everyone in this house as well? This is larger than you, _Princess_." He said my title in a patronizing way, how no one else would dare.

With a snap of my fingers, water was hovering above my shoulder. I could see it out of the corner of my right eye. With a flick of my hand, like I was backhanding someone, he was slapped with the water, like a drink was splashed in his face, only I made it a bit harder. What can I say? I hated the man.

"That was uncalled for." Dumbledore told me softly, as Snape flicked the water off his face with his long white fingers.

"I believe the lack of respect was enough, since he has shown me none since my arrival here." I replied. "After the forty detentions, and the snide comments, and now I'm supposed to marry him. What are you on?" I couldn't believe I was saying this to one of the men I respected most.

"She is right, you know." Dumbledore nodded, turning to Snape. "When you get married, you will have to be nicer to her."

I sighed. "What will happen if I don't marry him?" I finally ask.

"Anyone you are close to will be in more danger, George Weasley for one." Dumbledore said, softly. "I know you are quite fond of him."

I kept my face blank. "I'm fond of all of them."

"Yes, but do not think we haven't notice your attachment to him the most." Dumbledore went on. "Any and every man you have ever been close to will one-by-one be iliminated and you will only be pushed closer to Severus."

Sirius gently grabbed my arm right above my elbow to get my attention. "Sound's like you're a virgin sacrifice." He muttered for only my ears.

That made something come to mind. I didn't have to be a virgin when I married him.

"So you're saying that if I marry him, everyone I love is safe?" I asked.

"And if you become a spy for the Order, you will keep many more safe." Dumbledore told me. "Isn't that one of your vows? To keep people safe?"

I looked away from everyone, up to the ceiling. "I cannot make my choice now. I request a month. One month for me to think about it."

"That is fair." Dumbledore nodded.

"Do I not get a choice?" Snape asked.

Sirius looked up. "I can believe I'm saying this." He muttered before looking at Snape. "You'd be lucky to get any girl, let alone one like her, and I've known her for a total of thirty hours. If she lets you marry her, don't be a prat."

"I changed my mind." I said, looking at Dumbledore as I pointed to Sirius. "Can I marry him instead?"

"Katja..." Dumbledore started.

"Look, you're the one asking me to marry my teacher. I believe I am in the right." I told him. "If I wanted him, I'd have him by now."

Snape scoffed, but everyone ignored him.

"It is your choice, I will give you the month as you asked, but I will ask that you tell this to no one."

"Trust me, I'm not going to want to tell anyone I might have to marry him." I stopped myself from calling him worse. "In fact, if I do can it be hidden?"

"I'm afraid not." Dumbledore said softly. "It needs to seem that you chose him, for more than just the words on your back."

"I guess it's good I'm a good actress then. It'll be my hardest part to play." I told him, pressing my lips together in a line.

"Don't be rude, Katja." Dumbledore reprimanded softly.

"Stating a fact, sir." I replied, respectfully.

"Of course, but you may go now." Dumbledore said.

Sirius began to open the door for me, but I stopped him.

"I would like to know how my people are doing. Have you heard any word?" I asked, letting a bit of my venerability show.

"They are fine. There has been no word." Dumbledore told me. "Would you like me to send word?"

"Please ask them to send a message to my uncle that all is fine, and nothing is wrong." I said, he couldn't know. That might start a war, and I wouldn't let one break out just yet. Not until the last second. I honestly couldn't blame them merpeople if they stayed out of this completely. They would be treated bad on either side since they were not completely human. It was so wrong.

"You do not want him to know about this." Dumbledore translated.

"At all." I added. "He needs to think that everything is fine, unless you want a war."

"There's going to be a war anyway, girl." Moody growled from his corner.

"Well, if this war breaks out, I will not be able to choose a side, or belong to only one." I replied.

"Do you think you will be able to get them on our side when the time comes?" Remus asked.

I shrugged. "They're treated like shit on either side, so you can't really blame them for just sitting back until they're forced into it." I paused. "But before I ask, I have to know the plans. I will not get my people into something that I do not even know."

Dumbledore nodded. "That is fair."

I nodded. "I will go now, if you like."

"That would be great, thank you Katja." Dumbledore smiled.

I walked out, not letting my face betray my plans.

I was going to marry Snape. I had to keep my friends safe, and if I couldn't keep those close to me safe, how could I keep my people safe? If I could make Voldemort believe I was on his side, then I could get more information too. I don't trust that Snape is telling everything he knows.

The second thing I knew was, I would not let Snape be the first one I sleep with. I would find someone else.

I bet George is up for it.

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

"You still haven't told me what the Order wanted..." George said as I was trying on her dresses for my annual cleaning out of my wardrobe. This is the first one that George had witnessed in our almost year long friendship.

"Zip me up." I told him, pulling my hair off my back. I was trying on a strapless black dress, that still fit like a glove. "And I've been banned from telling anyone."

"Like that's ever stopped you before." He replied.

"Okay, then I'm still processing." I told him. "I don't know how do deal with it, and I have another week until I have to." I turned around. "What do you think?"

"I liked the other one better." He told me.

"Goes to Ginny then." I turned back around so he can pull down the zipper. "I promised her this dress when I didn't want it anymore." I explained, taking off the dress before turning to face him again.

"Are you ever going to tell me what this is about?" He asked.

"One day, but I'd like to renegotiate the terms of our friendship." I told him, pressing my half-naked body against him.

"How?"

"I want to have sex with you." I told him. "Just sex."

"Are you going to explain why?" He asked.

"Do I need another reason other than I want to?" I replied.

"No, but something tells me there is." He muttered, looking straight into my eyes.

"You don't want to know just yet, love." I told him, honestly. "I don't want to know." I grabbed his shoulders and kissed him, before pushing him away. "Use the charm, no one will know."

"Are you sure?"

I nodded, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that I was doing the wrong thing. I would not have Snape be my first.

"Do you still think there's nothing between us?" He whispered, backing me up into the dresser.

"If you still think there's something there, prove it now." I told him. "It might be your last chance."

"I think I will." He said, before kissing me again, grabbing my thigh and hooking my leg around his hip.

I knew I would win.

"Can you still say there's nothing between us?" George asked, his fingers tracing my ribcage.

"I can say there's nothing we can act on." I muttered.

"Why?" He asked.

"Every relationship I've ever gotten in ends with ruin." I told him. "I love you, but I can't be in love with you."

"You've admitted that there's something here." He told me.

I ran my fingers through his ginger hair. "And I wish that could change what is going to happen." I looked away with him before I started crying. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, if we had a different story then maybe something could happen."

"What has to be different with our story?" He asked.

I took his hand off my ribs, and moved it to my back, where the raised ridges of my brands were. "This has to be different with my story."

"What about them?"

"I have to marry someone."

"Who?"

I shook my head. "I can't say it yet."

"Is that why you wanted to do this?"

"I wanted to have sex for the first time with someone I loved." I told him sadly. "Don't be mad."

"I'm not." He told me, and I could see in his eyes that he wasn't; he knew I didn't want to. "When are you going to have to marry him?" He asked.

"I don't know." I told him. "I have no idea. I'll probably find out at the meeting tonight, but I'll probably have to tell everyone tonight."

"I wish I could do something." He told me.

"So do I." I told him, leaning my head forward onto his chest.

"Let's run away." He told me. "Just you and me. We can go to America."

"That would be nice, but it's not that simple." I told him. "If it was I'd have us packed by now."

"What makes it not so simple?"

"I can't tell you." I told him. "You know I can't. When you join the Order you can, but not now, okay? Please, don't make me explain." I know my voice sounded heartbroken by the end.

"Okay," he said quietly. "I won't bother you anymore."

I turned my head to kiss his chest. "Thank you."

"Before we go in there, I would like to speak with you." I told Snape the next Order meeting. "Alone," I added when he didn't move.

He nodded, and followed me out into an empty room that we had cleaned earlier that day. "State what you must."

"I thought you'd at least appreciate the privacy I'm saying this in." I replied, keeping my tone distant, just like his. "I am not marrying you because I want to."

"You made that perfectly clear a month ago." He told me.

"Yes, but I would like you to know my reasoning behind my choice." I told him, keeping my face cold.

"Go on then."

"I would like to state that I do not want to marry you, and I am not marrying you for my own protection. I am not doing this because Dumbledore asked, and I am not doing this because it is expected of me." I stated, keeping my face blank.

"Then why are you?" He kept his face blank, just like mine. I knew when people were hiding something, and he was curious, so curious. He had seen me kissing George before; I had made sure of it, especially in the last month. I wanted him to know that I was giving up the last year of my childhood to fall into a life of lying a deceit.

"Because I may not be able to love romantically without it failing terribly, but I do love. I love the Weasley's, I love Harry, I love Hermione, I even love Remus and Sirius, even though I've known them only a month. I love George, and by marrying you, I'm keeping them safe. I show my love for them by giving up my life."

"You're marrying me, you're not dying." He replied, his voice bored.

"One in the same. I'm pledging to spend my life with a man I loath, and who loathes me.-Now don't interrupt me, I am not finished." I told him, when his thin lips parted to reply. "I love them more than I love myself, and I love them more than I hate you."  
I let that sink in a moment, letting him fully comprehend my loathing and disgust I have for him. It actually took him a moment to reply to me.

"I'm sorry you feel this way, but it does not change what must happen. From this moment on you are mine." He said the last word quietly, like he was scared someone would overhear.

"I may not have many things left in this world, but I do believe that belonging to myself is one of them." I replied harshly. "If I wish to belong to anyone I will tell them, and I do not now-or ever-wish to belong to you."

"As far as the law is concerned, you belong to me, Katja Verhagan." He told me.

"And as far as I am concerned, dog shit has more of a hold on me than you do." I replied coolly, not letting what he says get to me. "If you ever utter a single word that I, as you say, 'belong' to you...you are not going to be a happy man. Remember if I belong to you, you belong to me. The world isn't as sexist as it once was."

He didn't seem to like that, but he couldn't disagree. I was right and he knew it. Not even the proud Severus Snape would disagree with me when anyone who was just would agree. He would have to be the most foolish man in the world if he were to try.

"Fine," he eventually agreed. "Does this mean you will not have your affairs?"

"Does this mean you will not have yours?" I replied.

"No, I'm going to get a fidelity charm on our marriage." He told me.

I pursed my lips. "Why? We hate each other."

"Because then no one would be suspicious." I saw straight through that lie.

"You can't control me, Snape. You couldn't with me as your student, and I doubt you can with me as your wife." I told him. "And it doesn't stop me from sleeping around, it just stops me from not having you find out about it."

"So, my wife's going to be a whore?" He replied harshly.

I nodded, pursing my lips. "Something like that, though I'm not going to ask them to pay, so slut is a better term for what I'm going to do."

"You're going to get both of us killed." He told me. "You have to act like you're in love with me whenever you are around Death Eaters, or their families."

"I will be able to, I'm a magnificent actress, Snape. You'll see that soon." I said. "You won't have to teach me occulmacy, since my mind is different from a human's, and I'm used to having people try to read my mind. My grandfather has the talent of mind reading If I can keep him out, I can keep out any of your goddamn Death Eater friends."

"A good reason for you to become a spy.' He sneered.

"Yes well, I always pictured black clothing and a gun, not a wedding ring." I muttered, crossing my arms.

"Nothing's ever how we imagined it would be." He told me. "Get used to it, otherwise your life is just going to be more of a disappointment for you."

"Don't worry, I don't think it's going to get too much worse." I replied, coldly. "I think the only way that could happen is for me to get pregnant, and I think we can make it so I don't. I don't want any of your spawn running around."

"We have to get memories for me to show the Dark Lord." He told me.

"So I'm porn? Awesome. I'm a pornstar." I scoffed. "We should sell it if you were hot, too bad you're not."

"I mean when we get married." He told me, clearly not liking my sass. "I need a memory."

"Don't worry, I got it. I'll be the perfectly happy bride marrying the man she loves." I shook my head, not believing what I was saying. "But I do need to go shopping then, so I'll need some time out of the house."

"Nyphadora Tonks has been trying to get a word with you for long enough. Ask her." He told me.

I nodded. "She's nice enough. Now shall we go into the meeting?"

He nodded stoically.

What a happy marriage I'll be in.

"So you have to marry Snape?" Hermione clarified.

I nodded. "You owe me a knut. He's a Death Eater."

She leaned against the headboard of her bed. "Well I'd be happier if I didn't..."

I was sitting on George's lap, and when Hermione said it his grip on my waist only tightened. He already knew some of this.

Ginny stared at me sadly. "Oh merlin..."

"I don't like this." Hermione said. "There has to be a way around it."

"There isn't. I already tried."

"It's illegal." George said passionately.

"It's not. If I was fully human it would be, but since I have a tail it's been legal for almost a full year." I told them. "I'm getting married on the tenth."

"The Tenth?"

"It's in five days!"

"This Saturday?"

"You can't be serious."

"I am," I told them hopelessly. "I'm going to have to marry a man that I hate, and act like I'm in love with him. Do you want to know the best part?"

"What?" Ginny asked.

"I have to sleep with him. I have to fuck my teacher, and I'm not even getting a grade for it. It's porn for Voldemort." I told them. "I don't want to sleep with him."

"I don't want you to sleep with him." George said, his voice getting deeper, and his eyes darkening.

My eyes softened. "George..."  
"What?" He asked. "Even you admitted there was something between us."  
"But I don't think I can follow through. If he finds out he will hurt you, or kill you." I told him. "He hates me, but he wants to control me, and I don't know how to keep you safe from him."

"From Snape or Voldemort?" George asked.

I swallowed. "Both."

"Snape wants to control you?" Hermione asked.

I nodded, looking at the floor. "He admitted to it earlier this evening. He's getting a fidelity charm so if when I cheat, he knows, and he'll put a stop to it."

"You're going to kill each other." Ginny said, breathlessly.

"Yeah, but at least I'll be a widow then."

"Tonks?" I asked at dinner that night. "Would you mind taking me out on your off day?"

Her face brightened up. "I'd love to. I'm free tomorrow, if you like."

I smiled. "That'd be great. It's for the thing next week." I muttered so only she could hear.

She looked at me sadly. "Memories huh?"

I nodded. "I'm going to kill myself."

"It can't be that bad. Come on, Sirius totally is going to kill Snape if he does anything." She told me.

"I think the problem will be the fighting and what my classmates do, actually." I told her. "I can handle him, and I'm more powerful than him, so if he even tries to curse me, he has another thing coming."

"I overheard what you said to him before the meeting." She whispered. "Don't let the bastard control you."

"I never will." I vowed. "Which is why I'm doing this my way."

"And you said you were a good actress?"

"I'll channel some character, or make one up." I told her. "You'll see on the tenth."

"I can't believe that's only a week away. They want you married off quick."

"And later I have to tell the teenagers. Thank God Hermione's here, she'll be able to tell Harry for me." I muttered.

"We'll leave here at ten okay?" She told me. "I'll pick you up, and we can go to the muggle mall, do you need to get money?"

I shook my head. "I have a credit card, it's like muggle money but in a little plastic shell." I explained. "My mother left me money, even being the first one turning into a human, I might as well use some of it on a decent dress."

"Okay," she nodded. "Just be ready at ten."

"I will, I'm never late, unless I hate the class."

"I heard Snape say you were always late to class..."

"Only his."

"How does this look?" I asked. Coming out of the dressing room in a high-end lingerie shop in London. It was white lingerie, and not my preferred color, but it went along with the happy bride. It was actually really pretty. It made my waist seem very small, and my breasts very large. I had strips of satin connecting to stockings that made my legs look whiter than they were. It would look fine under the wedding dress I got, maybe even make it look a bit better.

"I'd hit that." Tonks told me.

I laughed. "Thank you, do I look like a happy bride?" My hands were on either side of the doorway, and leaning towards her.

"A sexy one at least." She told me.

"Perfect." I turned back into the dressing room. Yeah, I was going to get this one. If I have to act, I must have at least a good costume.

**Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rated M for a reason!**

**Please Review!**

"Are you ready?"

I looked up to George, not in character yet, but ready to jump in. "Yes, but I don't want to be."

"Well, you look gorgeous today." George told me.

I nodded, before looking back into the full length mirror. "I'm going to waste the years I'm pretty with him." The dress was white and simple. Satin cloth that hugged my curves perfectly. I wore high-heeled pumps so I wouldn't be too short next to Snape. Or Severus. I should probably start calling him Severus.

"You're always going to be pretty." George told her. "It's the siren in your blood."

I smiled, a sad smile, but it was at least showing how I felt. "But this is when I'm young. I'm not even sixteen years old, and I'm being forced to marry someone that's over twice my age."

" know, you don't have to do this, we can run away."

I shook my head, they didn't know the danger they were in. "No, I have to do this. I have to." I closed my eyes and shut off my emotions. I let the tension go from my body, and let excitement fill it. I needed to be desperately in love, though I had never been desperately in love, I could guess how they acted since most of my friends back home drove me up the wall when they thought they were.

"This is the last time I can be myself all evening." I told him.

"I know." George told me. "Or we can just apparate out of here. We can leave."

"I can't ask you to do that." I told him. "I just can't. You know I can't."

"I'd still do it though." I felt his forehead against the side of my head as he whispered this in my ear. "I'll do it when you say you want to."

"I'll always want to." I told him. "But I can't always get what I want."

"I love you." He knew I couldn't say it back, but he pressed a light kiss to my lips. "Are you ready?"

"Don't come to the wedding." I told him.

"Why?" He asked.

"I can't have you remembering me doing this." I begged. "Please, just get the rest of the teenagers and come up here. I can't have you guys watch what I'm about to do. I won't be able to do it."

"Then maybe you shouldn't."

"I don't have that choice." I opened my eyes and smoothed down my dress. "I'll be down in five minutes."

"I'll always be around for you. Whenever you want me, I'll be there." He told me, slipping out the door.

I looked up into the mirror. I didn't want to do this, but I had to. I already let the choice slip away from me. For now, I must deal with the consequences. I hated him, and he wanted to own me. This would be a wonderful day.

When my five minutes were up, I walked down the stairs. It had to look like a real wedding, or the closest thing to it. So we had Tonks look like my uncle, and she had to look happy. We had Remus and Sirius there, and the eldest Weasley son, Bill, and his parents. I couldn't deal with anyone else.

When we had to say our vows, and he slid the ring onto my left hand, it felt like it burned me, like it was physically hurting me, but I didn't see any burns on my finger. It was just in my head. It was a simple gold band, and rather beautiful if I admitted it. I smiled up at him as I slid his ring on his left hand. When we kissed him, I kissed him like I loved him. Trying to make it seem real. I wanted it to seem real, then maybe I could get out of fucking him tonight.

We went straight into his rooms at Hogwarts after the quick ceremony. I tried to act like the happy bride, but every so often when I had time to think, I would be thinking about what the four teenagers back at Grimmuald would be doing. What George would be thinking.

I'd never been in love before, so I didn't know if I was in love with George, but I did know I loved him. I know he was in love with me. He said it, and he didn't say anything he didn't mean. I felt so bad, but when we started making out, we promised not to ruin our friendship with romance. I guess we ruined that.

He showed me to the one bedroom. I could guess that there was only one. Too bad, I could at least have my own room to put my things. I always slept better with someone beside me, but I doubt that will be the case with Snape next to me. I don't think I trust him enough to sleep with him in the room.

The bedroom was rather large, with a dark wood fourposter king sized bed in the center of the room against the left wall, then three dressers on the other walls, the tallest being next to the bathroom door. It was a rather nice room to be honest, though bare. My trunk was against the same wall as one of the short, long dressers though, I could guess that one was mine.

"I thought you would like to unpack before..." He trailed off.

"Yeah, sure, thanks love." I say, still trying to stay in character.

I didn't look at him as he walked back out. I don't think I could force myself to turn my head. I just stared straight ahead.

I didn't have to pretend when I was alone, so I let the smile fade into a frown, and I reached behind me to unzip the dress, before pushing it off me to the floor before stepping out of it and picking it up.

I had a white robe that matched the lingerie in my trunk, and I put it on, tying it loosely around me. At least unpacking bought me an hour or so to be myself, even if no one could see it.

I slid off my heels, pushing them to the footboard of the bed before putting my things in the empty chest of drawers. Slowly as my trunk emptied, and the drawers filled up, my heart began to hurt, and I felt like I couldn't breathe. This was it. This was the moment I let myself go. I was this now, I wasn't Katja Verhagan anymore. I was Katja Snape.

Even as I thought it, tears appeared in my eyes. What an ugly name for someone as pretty as me. I didn't deserve this. I never did anything wrong. Ever. Or at least not bad enough to deserve this. I've never stolen anything, I only lied to keep people safe. I came here to be an ambassador for my kingdom where pressure was being put on our kind. I came for a good reason, and I still attended school. I didn't do anything to deserve this, and people much worse than me are living perfect lives.

Life was unfair. I knew it, but it never hit me as hard as it did right now. I didn't like this. I never wanted this. I hated every moment of this.

Some of me just wanted to fuck him now so I can drift off into sleep and escape this nightmare of a reality.

I took out the potion that I used to do that very thing. I made it, the potion put you to sleep then let you control your dreams, or slip into someone else's. I've been making it for six months, that's how long it took to prefect it. It was a bright blue potion that almost glowed, I had six left, six before I had to get more ingredients and make it without anyone knowing. If anyone knew how much I brewed it, they might think I had a problem, but I never did more than one a day.

I put the little glass vials in the top drawer, underneath my knickers so no one would find them. I really didn't want to share, especially with Snape. He doesn't even need to know about it.

Slowly I became more awake. Mermaids were nocturnal, and it showed every night, except for the ones after the new moon, but I think that was just my human showing. The new moon was in a few days, so I guess I'll go back to the lake to change for the first time for the rest of the year.

I took down my hair from the bun I had it in, and brushed it out. It was a bit wavy from the up-do, but I was able to brush it out into the silky waterfall in usually was. I slipped back on my heels, and took a deep breath before opening the door.

I can't express how much I would really just like to say, "come on, let's get this over with." Too bad that I have to be a little less blunt.

The door creaked a bit when I opened it wider. "Severus?" I forced myself to say his name, at least it slid of my tongue easy enough, but the silky tone was harder for me to get right.

He was on the black leather couch with his back to me, a book in his lap. Hey, at least I married someone smart, now if I could get rid of his pride, we might have some decent conversations, maybe he could teach me a thing or two as long as he got rid of his condescending tone.

Maybe he'd even be decent in bed, you never know with his type.

He turned his head to look at me, and did a double take. Did he not know when I do things I go all the way? I don't half-ass things. If I had to do this, I'd put on a good show, otherwise it would seem to fake, and I would fail my part in this. I wouldn't let myself fail this; more than my fate is on the line. I will let my own demise come, but I could not be the cause of others.

I guess some of me should be happy he found me beautiful, but with being a half mermaid, I was used to being found beautiful, and even hated for it.

"Are you coming, or what?" I asked after a second when he didn't move.

"Er, yes." He said, standing up.

I left the door open, and walked back into the room. It was pretty dark since there was only one lamp back in the corner on one of the nightstands, but I could still see very well, I might even be able to see if the light was completely out since the low light was confusing my eyes a bit.

I heard him come into the room, and I could feel his presence behind me. I paused a second. _Get back in character, get back in character._ I begged myself, before turning around.

I bit my lip, looking at him, buying myself some more time before I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him towards me so I could kiss him.

I don't know what character I was channeling now, but I wasn't being myself. I couldn't do this if I wasn't playing a part. My hands went to his black shirt, undoing the buttons. He had wide shoulders and a thin waist lightly muscled, so he had a decent body, that was nice. I never paid attention before, not that I would've cared even if I noticed.

I pushed my body against his, feeling him get hard. I felt his hands go down my back to my ass, and squeezing it. I slipped down his body, kneeling in front of him, and undoing the fastenings on his pants. Was this going to fast? Did it seem like I wanted to get it over with quickly? Maybe I should slow it down a bit.

After I got his erection out, I was a bit surprised. George was big, at least to me, but Snape was bigger, was this going to hurt again? I didn't let this stress me out even more. I pushed his pants and black boxers down his thighs, letting my nails scratch him lightly as I caught his erection in my mouth. He groaned.

Did he really not think that I was this good? He should be impressed with my acting skills after today. If he ever dares to doubt me again. I sucked and licked him until he pushed me off him, pulling me up and kissing me hard. Looks like he's ready to play his part now.

He pushed the robe off me, letting it fall to the floor before he grabbed the back of my thighs, and picked me up. When my legs kicked out to go around his waist my heels fell off, I could hear them thud to the floor. His arms wrapped around my body, pulling me so close I could barely breathe. He walked over to the bed, and dropped me on it, the bedsprings squeaked under my weight.

I lifted myself up on my elbows and saw him taking off his pants, before getting on top of me on the bed. He was a good kisser, he didn't shove his tongue in my mouth and didn't slobber all over me.

He somehow got his hand between us and rubbed me through my knickers. I was getting wet.

One thing that surprised me was he was taking his time, he wasn't trying to get the lingerie off me so he could just fuck me; no, he was kissing me, and not even trying to undo the clasps on the front. He squeezed my small waist with his long-fingered hand, making me gasp before moving his hand to my breast as his other hand was supporting his weight by my head.

He pulled away from my lips, before kissing my neck. That's when he released the first clasp at the top, and kissed down my chest, between my breasts, and down my stomach as each of the clasps were undone. He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me up as he kissed my chest, pulling the top off my shoulders and throwing it to the floor.

I pulled his hair so his head tilted up and I could kiss him. He didn't resist me, his fingers took off my knickers, and my stockings with them. I had to move my legs so he could pull them off me, breaking away from the kiss.

I noticed he still had his unbuttoned shirt on, and I pushed it off his shoulders, before throwing it beside the bed, before pulling him back down on top of me. My hands grazed from his shoulders to his chest, and he pulled away, grabbing my wrists before trapping them by my head, holding his weight on his hands. It didn't hurt; it felt good.

I arched my back so I could press my chest against his, and he started kissing down my neck to my chest, biting the top of my breast lightly. A soft moan escaped my throat when he did that. He nipped at my nipple next, before sucking on it. He moved to do the same thing to my other breast. I tried to arch my back more, but I think my back would break if I arched anymore.

He kissed back up my neck, as he pushed my hands above my head and held them with one hand and he kissed me again. His fingers trailed lightly down my body. Why was he holding my hands? Did he need to be in control? Wow, he did have control issues. Some of me wanted to laugh, but the other part of me helped me control myself, for which I was eternally grateful.

He ran his fingers over my folds, before slowly pushing inside me, and hitting a part of my that made my legs jerk, and me gasp. I could feel him smirk into the kiss. Definitely control issues. I should've known by our conversation before I agreed to this.

I might as well play along, and he knew what he was doing. I should be enjoying myself, no matter what will happen in the morning. Even if he calls me a daft bimbo, I know that he finds me attractive, and I can-and will-use that fact against him.

He slowly slid a finger inside me, and my back arched. It felt good.

He didn't ask questions, this I liked. George asked too many questions. "Is this good?" "This okay?" "Do you like this?" It was a bit annoying after a while. I hated myself for liking it. I hated myself for liking that he was doing to me. I wanted to hate it, I was prepared for hating it. What I wasn't prepared for was liking it. Maybe I should have been, but I didn't possibly think that it could be possible.

I hummed as I started moving with his finger, and I felt my orgasm begin to build. That's when his finger disappeared, and was replaced with something much larger. He slowly pushed inside me, and a he groaned softly as he did so. He was big, but he felt good. I thrust my hips up to greet his.

His arm went under my back and started pulling me harder onto him, as little moans escaped my lips each time he was fully sheathed inside me. I was on the verge of my orgasm when he stopped kissing me and pulled away, looking me dead in the eyes.

I closed my eyes, and arched my back, throwing my head back. His arm moved from around my waist, and supported some of his weight on it as he used his other hand to make me face him.

"Open your eyes." He told me harshly. "I want you to look at me when you come."

My lips were slightly parted, I didn't want to give him the satisfaction, but I also didn't want him to be more of a bitch to me.

With my eyes open, I kissed him. Putting everything I felt into the kiss. I hate you, and I hate that I like what you're doing to me.

His movements were getting quicker and more jerky as I came. Him following behind, before letting his weight rest on me as he looked into my eyes, black to blue. The heat and lust in his eyes disappeared and was replaced with a cool indifference.

I shouldn't have been surprised.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up the next morning alone. I wasn't really expecting much different. I could sleep through the day easily, while at night I could stay up until the sun rose. I looked at the clock on the nightstand on the opposite side of the bed. It was nine o'clock in the morning, and I was used to sleeping in until ten. Not too bad.

I should probably go visit Grimmuald Place, but I at least wanted to take a shower first. I looked under the sheets and realized I was still naked from the night before. The only thing I wore was a pair of diamond stud earrings, and a gold band on my left hand. I looked at it, and sighed.

"Katja Verhagan." I muttered. "Katja Snape." I groaned, sitting up and resting my elbows on my knees as I hid my face in my hands. It all happened so quickly, I wasn't able to fully comprehend what I was giving up with the unoriginal vows that had been said millions of times. I had a husband, whom I didn't love, and who didn't love me. Not the worst thing that could happen, after all it did happen often less than a hundred years ago. I could have my affairs, and he could have his. I could get a divorce after the war was over, even if I was at my best looking for the next ten to twenty years, since I was a mermaid I would be beautiful my entire life. I could find love, real love, one day. Maybe in ten years when I am in love it wouldn't be as destructive as it is now.

I stood up and walked to the bathroom to take a shower before getting dressed in black leggings. Snape bursted through the door when I was looking for one of my tank tops with rainbow peace signs on it.

"You weren't a virgin." He told me, darkly.

I was taken aback. "Problem?" I found the tank top and held it in my fist, not moving to put it on just yet.

"You were a virgin last June." He told me. "They tested you."

My stomach turned, but I didn't let that make me lose my attitude. "Why?"

"You were supposed to be my virgin bride, they cursed you so that only I could touch you." He told me. He did look mad, as in angry and a bit insane.

"Well, it didn't work." I told him, indifferently. Putting my hand on my bare hip since I was only in a black and pink zebra-striped bra and jeans that were low on my hips. "They should know that the curses they put on humans don't always work on a different species."

"Who?" He demanded.

"Why do you care?" I retorted. "What would you do to him anyway?"

"So you admit it was a him!"

"Well, since I'm straight it's a bit obvious." I told him. "Go ahead, count all the guys I know, there's a long list of them."

"Tell me."

"That is not your business. I wanted to have sex for the first time with someone I love. If that's a problem for you, I don't care." I replied, not wanting to enjoy this as much as I did. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to see everyone in Grimmuald. I promised them I'd let them know I didn't kill myself today." I pushed passed him.

"This isn't over." He told me, grabbing my arm.

I pulled it out of his grasp roughly. I was a lot stronger than I looked. "Yes, it is." I kept walking towards the fireplace, pulling the tank top over my head as I did so.

That could've been worse.

I felt a little proud at my unwillingness to give in. I always fought against people that wanted to control me. It was in my nature. I not only held my own, but I kept a level head, that was the part that surprised me. I usually got irrational in an argument, somehow I was so used to his tactics that I knew what I was getting into.

I took the floo powder and went to Grimmuald. Nearly everyone was at the kitchen table. My hair was wet, which made the back of my shirt wet, I didn't have a bit of makeup on, but I didn't care. They'd all seen me at my worst, and that was only last night.

"How was sleeping with the devil?" Sirius bursted out.

Everyone looked at him, before I burst out laughing. My laughter was so uncontrolled that I fell to my knees on the ground, grabbing my stomach before falling to the side on my shoulder. Laughing until I cried. I rested on my back on the floor, my knees bent and my hands folded over my belly button.

"We're going to kill each other." I told him. "He has control issues. Major control issues; he needs to be in control all the time."

"How do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Well, he found out I wasn't a virgin and had a bit of a hissy fit this morning." I told her, turning my head to look at the table.

Remus and Sirius looked at each other, surprised.

"Yeah, and apparently they tried to curse me so only he could have me." I went on. "They didn't account my mermaid blood to protect me from being cursed. I mean, you humans are so fragile."

"That's so sick." Hermione said, looking disgusted while Ginny looked a little ill.

"I'm still as good as ever. I have the highest chance of anyone in this room of surviving him." I muttered, trying to pull off my wedding ring. It wouldn't budge. It wasn't that it was tight, it just didn't move. I couldn't even twist it. _Charm_. I decided, before letting my hands fall to my sides.

"Why is that?" Sirius asked.

"Because he does think I'm hot, and I could beat him without even picking up my wand." I told them. "Face it, I'm the third youngest and most powerful in this room. It's because of what I can do that I'm stuck with that overgrown bat until I can get it annulled after the war. This isn't a real marriage, it isn't even a partnership. This is a chain tying two people together."

"Do you know when you have to see the Death Eaters?" Remus asked.

I shook my head. "We don't talk. I'm guessing that one of you will be the ones who tell me."

George walked over to me, before laying beside me, and taking my left hand in his. "He's a prick. Just don't let him bother you. You're stronger than him, you always will be."

I looked at his eyes. "What did I do to deserve this?" I whispered. "I never did anything wrong. I got my homework in on time. I only got detention a few times. I tutored Ginny when she had trouble getting something. I did what I could, and stood up for what was right."

"You don't deserve any of this." George whispered. "No one ever does when something bad happens."

"Yeah, well that makes it all much better." I mutter sarcastically.

"It's not supposed to. I just don't think you want me to make you laugh right now." He replied.

"I wish I could go back six months." I told him. "I'd do so many things differently. I'd go to the prefect's baths instead of the lake. I'd make you wait for me like you wanted to before the last task. I-" I stopped talking, catching myself.

"What else would you do differently?" He asked.

I looked over at the people at the kitchen table, before looking back at George. "You know what I'd do." I whispered. "I wouldn't be a coward." I sighed. "I just want a time-turner. Turn back the clock, and show me what would happen change time."

"Awful things happen to wizards that mess with time." Hermione said quietly.

"Awful things happen to everyone." I replied, looking at the ceiling. "It's just how you deal with the bad things you can tell who someone is. I'm done being a coward, I'm going to have to face what I got myself into."

"How?" George asked.

"I'm going to be the best spy any one has ever seen. I'm going to help end this war."

"Now, come over whenever you want." Sirius told me. "Your birthday's in about two weeks, right? We can have a little party."

"Booze accessible?" I asked.

"Does the bat not let you drink?" He replied.

"Don't know yet, but I doubt he's going to like it when I do though." I shrugged.

"You don't have to fuck him again, do you?" He asked.

"He's gonna have to apologize first." I told him. "He was an ass this morning."

"Tell me when he isn't being an arse." Sirius replied.

I weighed my head back and forth. "True." I got on my toes to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, Sirius."

"Anytime." He promised.

I had already said goodbye to the Weasley's, so I went back to my new living space; I wouldn't dare call it my home.

I found a note from Snape telling me he was at a Death Eater's meeting. The only thing I cared about was that the most evil man in the world was probably seeing me naked right now. A shiver went down my spine.

I went to some of the books I owned and started reading them on the bed. Letting myself float away into dream worlds I only wish I could inhabit. Hogwarts used to be my dream world, now it was my cage. Oh, how things change.

I used to love magic, and having special powers others would have to work hard to get while it was natural to me. I could make the wind blow so hard it would sweep a man away, or create fire from something as harmless as the sun's rays. I could drown someone as they took a drink of water, or purify sea water so humans could drink it. With my powers I could kill or revive easily. If I sing on the full moon any human who was attracted to women heard my voice they would be in love with me until I set them free. I had been forbidden to sing on days and nights of the full moon since I got my tail at thirteen. I loved to sing though. My mother and I used to sing together, and I was the one who sang for the egg last year. I still have it memorized.

I fell asleep during these musings, with the book on my chest. Falling into dreams with flashes. I couldn't even understand what was going on, it went from darkness to light so quickly not even my brain could adjust, and a little over an hour later I awoke breathing hard. I couldn't remember what I dreamed, but I did have an eerie feeling from them.

I shook it off, and rolled over to look at the clock. It was four in the afternoon. I grabbed the pillow behind my head, moved the book to the other side of the bed and snuggled into the pillow. I didn't want to move, I just wanted to lay here and sleep all day...

I sat up straight. Last time I wanted to sleep all day was after my mother died and I was depressed. The hole in the ground that I felt I could never get myself out of. Not having the energy to get out of bed or to care about anything. Where I couldn't eat, and I was too tired to sleep. I didn't want to do anything. I remember the feeling of always holding back tears.

I curled into a ball, holding the pillow close to me as tears swam in my eyes. My life was over. At least until the war was over, which could be in a year or a hundred years. I had no way to tell...well no way in which I could try. I was stuck. I had no way out, and no way to be able to live outside of safe houses. The only thing I think I was looking forward to was the birthday party that the people at Grimmuald wanted me to have. I think they knew that I would be going though this. Maybe I did need to go to a therapist, someone I could talk to candidly without worries about blabbing my secrets to anyone.

But who wouldn't think I was insane? Anyone who would hear what I said would. I had no one. But maybe I could still have George. I could always try at least.

I'd have to try.

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	6. Chapter 6

I took another shower before Snape got home. I wouldn't let him see the evidence of my tears. I wasn't ever going to let him see me cry. I don't want him to know he had that much effect on me.

I walked to the small kitchen with a towel wrapped around me, and my wet hair sticking to my shoulders and back as I got a glass of water. There was a window above the sink that looked out onto the lake. Perfect view of the dock where I left my things when I had to retreat to the lake one night a month.

I haven't really looked around the apartment until now. It's dark with no harsh light anywhere. Dark wood, and dark colors everywhere. The fireplace was in front of the couch and had a library's worth of books surrounding it with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The kitchen consisted of a long black marble bar with a four burner stove, small fridge, and a sink. It looked like it should be cozy, like there should be a beanbag chair and a warm cup of tea waiting for someone to curl up with a book; but to me, it was cold. Ice cold.

I left my cup on the counter, and went to check out what books he had. I already figured there wouldn't be novels. There were some history, and philosophy that I might look at later. Theories on potion ingredients and on creating spells. I might take a look at the ones with creating spells, it sounds at least a little interesting.

I had stacks of my own books in my trunk, I don't think I'd move them out of there. Moving my clothes into this place was bad enough. That was my body. My books were my heart, and that would never belong here.

Suddenly, Snape appeared in the fireplace, and I was still only in my towel.

He stepped out, brushing the soot off him before giving me a once-over. I raised my eyebrows, waiting.

"Your hair's dripping on the floor."

"Yeah, well that's the curse of long hair." I waved my hand over my hair, evaporating the water until my hair was dry. "Better?"

"Much." He told me. "I need another memory."

"What about? More porn?" I asked indifferently.

"No, you telling me you don't want to get pregnant yet." He replied.

"Anything else needs to be involved?" I asked.

"No." He shook his head once.

"When's the next meeting?"

"The day before the semester starts." He told me.

"So we have some time then." I said.

"Yes, it should give you some time to get into character." He sneered.

"Are you really using that against me?" I asked, tilting my head to the side. "Come on, we're all acting every second of the day. I just let people know when I'm being fake with them."

"Well, that's not going to be good when I have to bring you in front of the Dark Lord." He replied.

"I'm not an idiot." I told him harshly. "Don't you dare think for a second that I am. I'm smart enough to know when I have to act and what my audience wants to see. I'm willing to let you know that it's all a facade means that I don't give a damn about you."

"I wouldn't expect you to." He sneered. "I'm the bat in the dungeons, and you're the siren that uses her looks to get what she wants."

"I know how to get what I want." I corrected. "You're starting to sound like my uncle. The world is easy to manipulate when you are beautiful; just because I'm willing to do it doesn't make me shallow."

"No, but it makes you just as boring as everyone else." He told her.

"I'd rather be boring than a friendless, condescending, rude, heartless, bat." I chose not to curse at him for a few reasons, but mostly I wasn't because I didn't want to be seen as a spoiled brat right now.

With that, I strode passed him to get dressed. I was starting to get a bit chilled.

"I still need that memory!" He called after me. I heard him curse because I got the last word.

I rolled my eyes and slammed the bedroom door. Oh, I'll give him a memory, there's no doubt about that.

I pulled on jeans and a tank top. It was actually nice and warm outside for being Scotland. It should be decent for going into the water. Even if I was a mermaid, and temperatures didn't bother me as much as humans, I was still a warm-water one, and could handle heat much better than cold.

When I came out of the bedroom, Snape was gone. I didn't care. I was going to the kitchens anyway.

Third person POV:

"She's impossible!" Snape seethed, pacing back and forth in front of Dumbledore's desk. "Why have we been forced together?"

"If you wanted to hurt her you would have told Voldemort the truth of her feelings for you." Dumbledore told him. "You chose to protect her instead."

"Because she's a child." Snape snapped. "She doesn't know what fighting against me means. The more good memories I have of her the easier my job gets."

"Have you told her?" Dumbledore asked.

"Shouldn't she already know?"

"She's sixteen years old, what did you know when you were her age?"

"That life isn't fair?"

"She's just like you, you know." Dumbledore said knowingly.

Snape scoffed. "She is nothing like me."

"You both were raised under different circumstances, but I am confident, that you both are the same."

"You're delusional." Snape told him.

"Both of your fathers were terrible, except hers ran away, she never knew her father. You both were loved by your mothers until they died in your teenage years. You both are smart. You both were forced to grow up too quickly. The difference between you is-"

"She's beautiful and I'm not?" Snape supplied.

Dumbledore shook his head, smiling faintly. "She decided to stay positive. She brings out the best in people, she truly believes that good will win in the end, and that everyone has a good side."

"And how do you know this?" Snape asked.

"She's been in my office at least once every two weeks for the past year." Dumbledore told him. "We've had some good talks."

"So you know her better than anyone?"

"I only said I know her better than you." Dumbledore told her. "You could make each other happy, but that is up to you. I'm not saying it would be easy to get there, but in the end it would be worth it."

"She loves someone else." Snape told him, keeping his face blank.

Dumbledore's eyes brightened. "How wonderful!"

"Wonderful? She's married to me." Snape's possessiveness showed.

"If you are unwilling to love her, then someone should." Dumbledore told him. "She's too strong to let someone get in her way of being happy, and in her mind, as long as she is discreet, there should be no problem."

"She shouldn't take it personally. I don't love anyone."

"Are you sure, Severus?"

"No one alive." He muttered.

"You're in love with a dead woman, maybe you should move on from her. Childhood loves never last."

"Katja Serena Verhagan is a child." Snape told him. "She may be a siren so she doesn't look like one, but that doesn't change the fact."

"Well, as of yesterday it is Katja Serena Snape, and we both know she is not one. She can't be anymore than Harry can." Dumbledore told him. "They're both cursed in different ways."

"I don't want her sleeping around; it's dangerous."

"Then give her a reason not to. As long as you're being rude and indifferent to her, she'll do anything against your wishes as long as its with hers." Dumbledore told him.

"Why am I getting this talk from you, and not her?" Snape asked.

"Because, I believe when she came here, you were the one that humiliated her in front of the entire class because she's American, and was already halfway done with her potion before you finished teaching the lesson." Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, daring him to deny it. "Yes, I heard about it, Severus. She was not used to being spoken to like that by someone who was supposed to teach her."

"She seemed to handle it just fine, she even talked back."

"And got detention." Dumbledore added. "Which she got out of for the new moon. She can hold her own, she won't let you see her in any way but defiant."

"You haven't answered my question." Snape told her.

"I believe I have, but if you would like me to simplify it, I will." Replied Dumbledore. "You were the one that hated her first, she has every right to hate you. There's another thing though, and though it is a cliche, it is very well true!"  
"Which is?"

"There is a thin line between love and hate."

Katja's POV:

It took me an hour of wandering around the castle after going to the kitchens to figure out that I didn't have the password to get back into Snape's quarters. I either would be sleeping on the floor, or, if Dumbledore was in his office, I would go back to Grimmuald and sleep in my old bed. Even though I could just floo back to Snape's quarters, I would be able to get away with not sleeping there tonight.

I guessed all the candies off the top of my head to the gargoyle. "Chocolate frogs" was the right one. I waited until Dumbledore answered to open the door.

"Professor?"

"How can I help you, Katja?" He asked.

"I don't know how to get into Snape's quarters. He never gave me the password. I was wondering if I could just take a quick floo to Grimmuald." I told him with a slight smile on my face.

"I will let you get a quick floo to _your_ quarters." He replied.

_Better than trying to talk the Fat Lady into letting me in_. I decided, before nodding. "Thank you."

"Before you go, would you like to have some tea?" He asked. He already had some tea china at his desk. Two tea cups. Hang with Dumbledore or fight with my husband? I think I'll take the first.

"I would love to." I sat in the chair right in front of his desk. "Thank you."

He gave me my tea as I usually took it. One sugar, no milk.

"How is the marriage going?" He asked.

"Oh, you know, just great." Sarcasm leaked into my voice. I really should stop being so sassy. It gets me in trouble way too often.

"Perhaps if you would try to get along, then it would be better." He said.

Was he trying to play matchmaker? "That's up to him, he's the one that keeps attacking me for every little thing the moment he sees me." I told him. "I don't get along well with people who are jerks to me. I reflect back on them how they treat me, so it's their choice how they want to be treated."

"I find that fair, just keep an open mind." Dumbledore said.

"It's never been closed."

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	7. Chapter 7

Harry arrived at Grimmuald a few days later, and had a trail a few days after that. Of course he was cleared, he was the one attacked. I don't think he knew about me, nor do I think I should burden him with it, but he needed to be told.

Tonight was my birthday party. Snape wasn't invited. "Not that he wanted to go anyway" as he said. I just wanted to act like I was sixteen, celebrate my birthday with friends. Normality that I wouldn't get again for a long time.

I wore faded blue bootcut ripped jeans that rested on my hips and a purple tank top that was cut to my ribs on one side before tapering down to the top of my other hip. Silver hoop earrings were in my ears and gold makeup was on my eyelids. I looked like different shades of gold down my body except for my clothes. My hair was in a messy bun on the back of my head, and had some hair falling around my face. I looked good, like I was sixteen. I looked my age.

I looked at the clock. Shoot! I should already be there! I slipped on my heels and ran to the fireplace. Snape's eyes widened when he saw me.

"You're not leaving looking like that!" He said before he could stop himself. I could tell by the look on his face after the words came out.

I looked down at my body. "Why not?"

"You look like-"

"Jailbait?"

"A hooker."

I frowned. "Thanks."

"Letting you know."

"Well, either way I'm going to my party the way I like, thank you for your concern." I'm trying to make peace, and this was proving it. I wasn't snapping at him like I usually do. "Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to have some fun. I might not be back tonight so don't stay up. Not that you would anyway." I stepped into the fireplace. "Bye-bye."

He just shook his head as I disappeared into the emerald flames.

The party was great. The radio was loud in the library, dining room and kitchen, where most of the get-together was. I met Bill Weasley. He was nice, a true sweetheart. I even got Sirius to spike my drink for me. It was great. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went to bed around ten o'clock and wished me a happy birthday. Thats when my wedding ring became hot.

I shook out my hand. It was hot, like it was burning me, but it wasn't.

"What's wrong?" Sirius asked.

"My ring feels like it's burning me." I tried to pull it off as I said this. "It's not even coming off."

"Damn, I didn't think he'd be the first one to fuck someone." Sirius said.

I looked at him, confused. "Huh?"

"That's what happens when someone with a fidelity charm cheats on their spouse." Sirius explained.

My eyes brightened. "Cool."

"Not what a wife usually says when their husband's sleeping around." Sirius said, but I was already gone. I stepped onto a couch right next to George before grabbing his shoulder to turn him around and kissing him.

I could hear gasps from a few people in the room, but I honestly couldn't care less. If Snape could cheat, then so could I. I was free again. Best birthday ever.

I woke up the next morning with a familiar arm wrapped around me, and a terrible headache. Maybe Sirius spiked my drink a little too much. My brain was a little fuzzy too. I kissed George, people gasped, we laughed. It was fun. I know that we slept together because who else would I be in bed with?

I think he could feel me waking up, because he rolled on his side behind me, and hugged me into him.

"Headache?" He asked.

"Hm-mm." I muttered opening my eyes. We were in my old room.

I vial appeared over my shoulder. "Sirius gave me this to give to you when you woke up."

"Great." I sat up, the sheet covering most of me. I downed what was in the vial, at least this potion didn't taste so bad, it was just a bit metallic. The moment I swallowed, the headache disappeared. "That's better." I smiled.

"How are you today, love?" George asked, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on my bare back."

"Rather good, I think." I bit my lips as I smiled at him. "That was a pretty damn good birthday."

"So, what made you decide to be with me still?" George asked.

"If Snape can cheat, so can I." I told him. "This way, everyone's protected, and I still get to live. We just have to keep it quiet."

"Good job with that last night." George laughed.

"Everyone in this house can be trusted, you know, besides the paintings." I grinned.

"How much did you drink last night?" He asked.

"Sirius was the one spiking my drink so I don't know. Why?" I asked.

"Just wondering, since you needed a hangover potion and everything." He said. "Usually you barely have a headache."

"Well last night I wanted to forget this whole month. That takes a bit more liquor." I teased.

His hand trailed up my shoulders to my neck and into my tangled hair. "And are you forgetting?"

"Most of it."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, your markings are gone."

"Markings?"

"The ones on your back." He told me.

I looked over my shoulder, the words had disappeared. I could usually see the H on my shoulder when I twisted just right, and now, it was gone. I don't know what this meant. Am I free, or did the brand just move to the finger on my left hand? Either way, the ring was much easier to hide than dark lettering on my back.

"Oh my god!" My hands went to feel my back, expecting ridges, and finding my smooth skin. "Oh my god!"

"Are you happy?" He asked.

"When did you notice?" I asked, looking over both my shoulders to my back.

"Last night." He told me. "I thought I'd save it for another birthday present."

"Another? Aw, you got me something?" I asked.

"Of course. I got you a lifetime supply of contraceptive potions. I can't let you give birth to Snape's spawn." He poked my stomach.

"That's pretty good. I don't want to be brewing that stuff all the time."

"Which is why I did it for you!" He opened his arms for a hug, which I willingly gave. I kissed him as well. We just stayed there kissing a while. I ignored the burning in my left hand. Apparently it burned if I was sleeping with anyone without my ring's match. It doesn't matter, I didn't care anyway.

Slowly he moved so he was over me, and broke away from my lips to kiss my neck. He knew I liked it when he kissed my neck. I thrust my hips up to meet his. He slowly guided himself into me, and kissed my lips again.

That's when the door was thrown open.

We broke away to look at the door. Sirius and Snape were standing there. Sirius yelling at Snape, and Snape looking like he was going to kill us. George pulled out of me, getting off me and blocking me from Snape and Sirius' sight. I pulled the sheet over me and sat up. George shouldn't try to protect me. He may be able to use his wand, but I have more powers without mine, and his wand was sitting on the nightstand next to me.

"They're just kids, Snape." Sirius told him.

"One of those 'kids' belongs to me." He growled. "Katja Verhagan come here."

"No." I objected. "If you can fuck around so can I!"

"Come here."

"Fine." I said, getting out of the bed stark naked. Sirius was the only one who averted his eyes to the ceiling.

"Katja-" George started.

"No, it's fine. He wanted me to come here. Here I am."

"Not to get on your bad side, but I'm not sure you want the whole house to see this little show." Sirius said, still finding the ceiling suddenly interesting. "How about you get dressed?"

"It depends. Are you going to wait downstairs?" I put my hands on my hips.

"Yes, and so is Snape." Sirius said as he began to close the door. Snape didn't move. "Damn it Snape, stop being yourself and let the girl get dressed. We both know that she'll walk around here naked just to piss you off."

Snape let the door close and I started looking for my clothes, and ended up only finding my tank top and my jeans. I put them on, and George got dressed too.

"I'm not letting you go down there alone." He told me, taking my hand.

I got on my toes, and he leaned down a bit so I could kiss him lightly. "Thank you."

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't have a clue." I told him. "I've never been caught having sex with someone by my husband." I laughed at the ridiculousness of that sentence.

"What?" He asked.

"I never thought I'd say that. Ever." I told him. "I'm not scared."

"You have to live with him." George said.

"It doesn't matter, I'm not scared." I felt powerful. I was loved here, and no one would let Snape hurt me. Even if he tried, there was a good chance I could hold my own, and I was stubborn enough to keep going until I won.

"I wish you could just leave him." George said, hugging me.

"Yeah, I've only been married to him a couple weeks and I agree." I told him. "But as soon as Voldemort's down, I'll get a divorce, and it'll all be over."

"You make it sound like it's going to be easy." George said.

"He doesn't want to be married to me as much as I don't want to be married to him." I told him.

"Really? Because he seemed pretty damn upset when he walked in here." George mentioned.

"There's a difference between wanting to possess me and wanting me."

"So getting a divorce will be easy?"

My face fell. "With enough pressure." I looked at the door. "We should probably go down now."

He nodded. "Okay."

We walked down the stairs slowly, buying ourselves a few seconds. I knew from the moment Snape walked in that I'd fight back, if he even tried to hit or curse me he would regret it. I was stronger than he cared to admit.

I raised my head high, and put a neutral expression on my face. I couldn't let my face betray me. I could win this fight, after all, I wasn't the only one that cheated in this relationship. I walked into the dining room.

"I don't see why we're going to have this fight here." I told him. "It has nothing to do with them." I pointed to Sirius and George. There was no one else in the room but the four of us.

"Well that's the ginger bastard you cheated on me with," Snape pointed at George. "And the dog thinks I'm going to kill you both." He pointed to Sirius.

"You could always kill me when I was forced to go home with you, though I am pretty hard to kill. I'd at least kill you with me." I didn't take my eyes off Snape. I wasn't scared of him, and I would never let him ever think I was. "Let's go back to Hogwarts." I didn't even wait for his answer, nor did I listen for one. I walked straight to the fireplace and flooed back to his quarters. With him following seconds later.

We fought. Yelling and swearing until we let out all the hate we had for each other until I was sitting on the couch with my legs tucked under me, and him in the leather chair, with a glass of untouched firewhiskey in his hand. Talking like the adult he should be, and the one I was forced to become.

"I don't like that you slept with him." Snape told me.

"I don't know why you care." I replied. "You hate me, and you've never been kind to me before."

"Yes I have, once." He muttered, swirling the firewhiskey in his glass.

I looked down at my hands. "Yes, well, I guess you did." I replied, barely above a whisper as I remembered that night. "I don't even know why you did it."

"You were cold." He told me.

"But I'm a mermaid, I have a higher tolerance to temperature than humans." I told him. "I would have survived."

"It doesn't change the fact you were dripping wet in the snow with no jacket." He replied.

"Either way, if I didn't thank you before this is me doing it now. Thank you." I said sincerely.

"You're welcome."

"You still have not answered my question, though." I told him. "Why do you care?"

He sighed. "Because you're mine. That ring on your finger is mine. I'm not having another man take what's mine."

_Another?_ I thought, but I let that go.

"I'm not an object, you know." I mentioned, trying not to get him or myself mad again. I was done with the yelling. My voice was even getting a bit hoarse.

"Why did you sleep with him?" He asked.

"Because he's George. He's loved me since the moment I came to Hogwarts, and he's the only person in this world I've trusted enough for it. He may tease me about being a siren, but he really doesn't treat me any different than if I was human. He doesn't even care that I'm a princess, or that I have a tail at least once a month. He loves me for me, and I love him."

Snape clenched and unclenched his jaw as I spoke.

"So that gives you the right to cheat on me?"

"Okay, if that's not a good enough reason, then tell me why you cheated on me last night." I replied. "Give me a reason worth more than my own."

He didn't respond.

"Come on, tell me." I insisted.

"You didn't want me." He told me. "You don't want me."

"You don't want me either. If we actually are completely honest, you find me attractive, and you are good in bed, but is that really a relationship, or is it people who fuck around? Doesn't that just make us pornstars for Voldemort?" I shook my head. "Come on, Snape. This marriage is hardly real. I don't love you and you don't love me. We don't even like each other, we just coexist."

"What if I wanted to try?" He asked.

That brought me up short. I didn't think he'd want to be married to anyone, let alone to a woman-let's face it, I don't have a choice about being one anymore-with a backbone like mine. I had to clear my throat to make any sound come out.

"Why?"

"Does there really have to be a reason?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, yeah there does."

"If you insist." He paused. "You're smart, even if I don't care to admit it often. You're beautiful, and not in a human way at all, you may have legs but you do have a beauty not of this world. You're strong enough to take me on and win."

I swallowed, running my tongue along my teeth. I decided to ignore the compliment. "You have nothing to offer me. You're twice my age and you're rarely nice to me."

"I offer you protection. I may be twice your age but I am a powerful man and a powerful wizard. I will also try to be...nicer to you." He told me.

"That means nothing, why would I choose you on maybes when George had loved me and tried to protect me since we were friends? I don't even need protecting. I'm powerful, even for a mermaid." I replied.

"Either way you're stuck with me for a minimum of the next few years." He told me. "You choose either if we work on this, or continue to yell and fight with each other."

"Then are you really giving me a choice? You're telling me you're going to make my life hell if I don't agree." I remarked.

"I never said that." He responded. "I'm just saying if we decide to work on this together, it would be a lot easier than acting whenever I need to fill up my memory quota for the week."

What he was saying was making sense. I just didn't know how to give up what I have, even if it's not right. George did deserve more than a girl who was married to another man. He deserved a completely normal girl, with normal drama, and not having to worry about husbands, or tails, or getting branded by the most evil wizard in the world.

I looked down and swallowed. "I don't know how I'm supposed to deal with this." I told him honestly. "I'm sixteen years old."

"But we both know you are not." Snape replied. "In years you might be, but you've been through too much to be like other sixteen year olds."

"It doesn't change who I am, though." I muttered. "I never imagined getting married. Ever. I always thought that I'd end up like my mom. When she got pregnant my sperm donor ditched."

"To be completely honest with you, you're lucky yours left." He told her.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "I'm sure anyone could be a good dad if they tried."

"Not everyone wants to try. My dad used to beat me and my mother through my childhood."

I frowned, taken aback. My heart even hurt a bit hearing that, especially in the matter-of-fact tone he used. Like he deserved it, or it was normal. Instead I cleared my throat.

"This is our common ground then, isn't it?" I asked.

"Terrible fathers, the only difference is yours had the decency to leave."

"Did you have a good mother?" I asked, as my voice became a bit more childlike.

"Yes, but she died in my last year of school." He told her. "My father killed her before taking his own life."

"That's terrible." I whispered. "I'm never going to force anyone to be a parent." I paused. This was a good time to put the memory he needs.

I walked over to him, and kneeled, putting my hands on his knees. "Look, I don't want to have kids. Not yet anyway. I need to finish school and find my place in this world first."

He nodded, understanding how I worked it in. "I'm not going to ask you to do anything you don't want to do." He replied. "Do you want to make this work?"

"I think we'll be able to find some more common ground at some point." I told him. "Even if it is fighting for the same side."

**A/N**

** Severussnape1984: Haha! I laughed hard when I read that! Thanks for your review :) **

** GoldenWolf25: Yes he does :) I figured he might be someone Snape would complain to about the stubborn Katja. Haha. Thanks for your review!**

**Please review!**


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning it was four days until school started at Hogwarts. I didn't do much other than get the presents I left at Grimmuald. I told George I was working on my marriage, and since I'd be stuck in it a while, I didn't want it to be as bad as it could be, and it would be if we stayed together. He didn't like it, but he knew he couldn't stop me. I gave him a kiss goodbye, and he promised he would always be there for me. I still loved him, I wouldn't deny that, and I was in depressed state for the next few days.

I started writing again. I hadn't since I first moved here a year ago. It was a therapy that I hadn't needed to depend on since I was depressed. Now, I felt it again.

Right when I thought things could be better something else happens. I had to get married. I had to break whatever I had with a man I loved. I had to lie to everyone about what I'm doing, or at least the true nature of it. I had to lie to my family to stop a war between the land and water. I had to keep everything I was feeling to myself. Well, to myself and the thick leather diary I filled with every question, every feeling, and every thought that went through me. If I didn't write it down I felt like I was going to explode.

Snape-Severus-Snape, whatever I should call him, even noticed a difference in my behavior. I'd given up fighting and just let the tide take me where it wanted me to go. I was just too tired to fight anymore. I'd been fighting for over a year, in what felt like a never-ending war. The ministry hated me, and they hated that I stood up for my people. I had a meeting with them the day before school started to see how this year would work for us. Dumbledore made me promise not to lose my temper, but not all promises can be kept.

So, on August thirty-first, I got dressed in a muggle women's pant suit. Another rebellion I had against them that no one would call me out on. It was black, and I wore a dark blue blouse under it. I paired it with black pumps. I used makeup to make my features more like a mermaid's. Like mine were underneath the water. Wider eyes, darker lips, longer lashes, lighter skin. I charmed my blonde hair into a fishtail braid down my back.

I would floo to the ministry in an hour. I don't know when I would be back. I needed to eat something before I went. Last year I was in the meeting room for three hours. I didn't get lunch until it was already dinner time. None of the people in the meeting liked it either. I'm very sure that everyone dreads this annual meeting. It's just me there making sure my people get what they want, or at the very least the rights they deserve.

I walked out of the bedroom and went to the small kitchen. I asked the elves last night if they could bring some food up here for me to grab on the way out. I found an assortment of muffins on the island. I grabbed a chocolate chip and started eating it before going over the notes I had from last time as well as the demands for this year.

I just hope that Umbridge bitch isn't on it this year. She wanted to have us all tagged and tracked last year. If I wanted to have one person killed it would be her. Let Voldemort be Harry's job, I want to take this bitch down. Just thinking about her made my blood boil.

When Snape walked out of our room in different robes than he usually wore, I raised my eyebrows.

"Whatcha doin'?" I asked slowly, the confusion clear on my face.

"I thought I'd go with you to your meeting. If you know someone who knows the laws better than you." He told me. He didn't say this in a condescending way, he said this like Hermione did when she explained what the homework in class was when I missed it. Like he was sincerely trying to help.

I was completely surprised by this. "You want to help me?"

"Yes, now what do you want for your people this year?" He asked, standing on the opposite side of the island as me.

"Everything they have now, but since they needed our help last year we want to have more say in how other species get treated as well. I've heard a rumor about the ministry wanting to herd and tag centaurs, and since they tried that for us last year, we want all part humans to have the same rights."

"They do or you?" He asked, looking over the demands for this year.

"It was my idea, but they are willing to stand behind me." I told him.

"I can't promise you're going to get that. If life was fair they'd give you that vote, but we both know the ministry's corrupt." His eyes scanned the page as he said this quietly.

"Which is why if they still want to access our visions and powers we would need this. Unless they want it to rain on every quidditch match, or be so foggy they can't see." I told him.

"You're going to blackmail them?"

"Just like they try to blackmail me." I replied, I made my voice pitch deeper. "'We don't have to let you hide out here, we can send you back to the states.'" I rolled my eyes.

"They actually can't. Humans will be involved in two wars at the same time." He mentioned. "The only difference is you won't be able to pick a side."

I looked up, surprised. He actually listens to me when I talk. It took me a second to respond. "Exactly."

"Well, they all seem very logical." He told me.

"Thank you." I said.

"What time is your meeting?"

"I'm going to leave in ten minutes."

"Well you want to be ten minutes early, so we should leave now." He told me.

"I was already aiming for ten minutes early." I replied. "Last year I was thirty, but I was just sitting around for every minute I came early, plus ten more."

He nodded. "Good."

"I've always been on time." I told him. "Except to your classes."

He nodded. "I noticed. You were the only one on time to all the others besides Miss Granger. You were on time to mine for the first week, though."

"Yes, after that I just wanted to piss you off. You don't know how much love I got from everyone you hate for doing that." I muttered.

"Is that why you did it?"

"It's nicer to be loved than invisible. That's one thing I've learned in my short life, I'd rather be loved or hated than unnoticed." I shrugged. "For instance, everyone in the ministry, depending on their stance on issues, hate me or love me. I'd rather be infamous and have everyone know my name, than just be another face in the crowd." I paused. "I believe you agree with me on that, otherwise you wouldn't be such a dick to your students. Each teacher's got their thing, McGonagall is strict, Trelawny is insane, Binns is a ghost, Flintwick is understanding, and you're cruel."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Why do you say that?"

"How can I not? I love all of the people you hate, and I have no idea why you hate them."

"Even Longbottom?" He asked.

"That little awkward guy? Love him. Hermione thinks I'm cruel because I like to make him blush."

"And you call me cruel. You use your body to make others uncomfortable, and use them." He replied.

I clocked my head to the side, and looked at him. "I use what I have, if that's my body, then I believe it's fair game. If I used my mind, then no one would say a word, but since it's my body every other person thinks I'm selling myself short." I looked at the clock on the wall. "Come on, that is, if you still want to come with me."

"Of course."

I didn't always understand why the woman in pink hated me. I don't know if it was because the Minister stared at my ass as I walked, or because I was prettier than her, and always will be, but it had to be more than me just being a halfbreed. The look in her eyes went deeper than my blood. Her ugly stare bore through me like a drill going through wood as we worked through the meeting.

I got most of what I wanted, the one that I really needed to fight for the hardest was a place for all the other part-humans out there.

"Why do you want this power? You are just a child." The minster told me.

"I don't believe my age should be a factor in this. We both know I can communicate with my relatives with a simple stone, and I am perfectly able to do my job no matter my age." I told them. "Merpeople age quicker than humans, though I am sixteen in human years, I am older."

"I still don't see why you want this power." The woman in pink, Umbitch told me.

"Because I know what it is like to be them. It would be best for everyone that you have someone who has been on both sides." I replied. "I am working for all of our interests."

"I see your side." A dark haired thin woman told me. "I think we're all ready for this vote." She looked around. "All in favor." She raised her hand, as well as everyone but Umbitch and the Minister.

The minister didn't look happy as he sighed. "You get your way. This meeting is finished, unless you have more information for us, or demands."

"You know we have seers." I told him. "Something bad is coming."

He leaned forward. "What is coming?"

I shrugged, knowing they wouldn't believe me. "Something bad. I believe everyone will be informed within a year."

"So we give you what you want, but you still do not tell us the whole story." Umbitch's squeaky voice assaulted my ears. I already had a headache, but with her voice in my ears it would become a migraine soon.

"_We_ do not know the whole story." I replied harshly. "I was told to convey this feeling we all have, and we are never wrong. Within a year something major is going to change in this world that will effect us all."

"You're a friend of Potter's aren't you?" The minister asked.

"I keep my professional and personal life separate." I frowned. "Do not mistake me for some teenage girl that bends the evidence in her favor. I am doing as I am told by my grandparents, and the Chief of the Black Lake. They wanted you to hear this, if you would have rather I did not do my job credibly I demand you say it now." I spoke authoritatively, if any of them were the least bit smart, they would remain quiet, and that's exactly what they did. From the corner of my eye I saw Severus Snape looking like he was trying not to smile. He had been quiet through most of the meeting, only getting involved when they tried to not let me have something that should be within my rights.

The minister bowed his large head in respect. "Of course not, Princess, but you must understand where we come from."

"I do get where you're coming from, however those are human problems. Harry is just a teenager after all, and if you ever treated someone like me with the same contempt you treat him, my people would have a problem with that."

"Is that a threat?" The minister asked quietly.

"No, an observation." I paused. "That is all I have to say, do you, Minister, have anything to add?"

Umbitch raised her hand, though the minister did not speak.

"Well then, I guess we are done for this year. If there are any part-human cases coming through here, I trust you will tell me." I said, gathering my things.

Umbitch cleared her throat, trying to get my attention. I didn't even look at her.

"Please, I would like to stop by Diagon on our way home to get some last minute things for school this year." I told them. "Shall this meeting be over?"

Umbitch cleared her throat again.

"Would you like some water, Delores?" I asked, letting annoyance get into my tone.

"No," she smiled at me, sending a chill through my body. Maybe I'll skip Diagon Alley and go back and take a shower at Hogwarts. "But I would like to add that you are still a child, and you do not rule anything."

"I never asked to." I replied. "Though I would rather you stop being so condescending to me. I do not want to rule, but I would like the respect that my title allows me." I stood, as did Snape beside me.

"You may go." The minister said. "Meeting adjured."

Umbitch didn't look to happy with me, but I couldn't care less. I walked out of that room with my head held high. I stood my ground and got all I wanted. I won, and actually Snape was a big help to me.

After we were out of earshot and on our way to the line of floo fireplaces, I turned to him. "Thank you." I told him. "You were a big help in there."

"You're welcome. I'm rather surprised you sassed them as much as you did." He replied.

I shrugged. Since he was making an effort to be nicer to me, I guess it's only fair that I do the same to him. "Do you want to come with me to Diagon Alley? I'm just picking up some books and school supplies."

He nodded. "Sure."


End file.
